Week Two: O'Malley To Unveil Budget

The 2013 Session of the Maryland General Assembly starts its second week tonight.

All eyes will be on Governor O'Malley on Wednesday when he unveils his Fiscal 2014 budget.

It's not certain if the governor will include a plan to increase transportation funding.

Last year, he waited until later in the session to introduce a plan to impose the sales tax on gasoline, a plan which never made it out of committee.

Death penalty opponents hold a rally tomorrow in Annapolis as lawmakers start a debate soon on repealing the death penalty.

Committee hearings this week are focusing on reviewing state programs, rather than specific bills. Among the policies getting review this week, speed cameras, casino gambling regulation, and the possibility of natural gas fracking in Western Maryland.

A few bills will receive a hearing, including a measure to prohibit election officials from releasing the names and addresses of people who sign petitions to get laws passed by the General Assembly on the ballot.

It is based on criticism by opponents of same sex marriage, who say a gay community newspaper in Washington published the names of people who signed petitions to get Maryland's same sex marriage legislation on the ballot.

The critics say some of the people who signed the petition were harassed.

Voters approved the bill in November, and the law took effect this month.

The House Ways and Means Committee will hold a hearing on the bill tomorrow.

Lawmakers will go into session at 8 p.m. tonight.

Prior to the start of the session, a group of veterans will hold a rally in favor of legislation that creates a special veterans license plate.